Hunger Games Anyone?.............

What've you all been reading? In your book clubs? On your own? We are reading the Hunger Games for ours and I am over half way through number 3. Our upcoming books are To Kill A Mockingbird, Rebekah-by Orson Scott Card, and another one I can't remember the name of. Maybe I remember the first two because I've read them both already, the first a number of times. Both I like.

People in my book club are saying Hunger Games is harder for them to get through than the Glass Castle was. I disagree. The Glass Castle was real. The Hunger Games aren't. It wasn't hard for me to keep it in story form. It's when I got to the second book that it was harder to not "think" more about it. Government control in EVERY aspect of your life....it's bothered me quite a bit more than the first. The third I'm just trying to get through. It's back to a story for me but with too much manipulating of people. It's just too unreal to bother me like Catching Fire did. Why so? I'm still not sure. I can't help comparing the main character Katniss to Bella Swan from Twilight. Both teenage girls caught in some weird love triangle that everyone else can see but themselves. Both a low self image that drives me crazy, esp. Bella's. I'm getting tired of Katniss moping around all the time and going back and forth between love sick teenage girl-which she won't admit to herself-and oh woe is me.

I hope I haven't said anything that would ruin any of the books. I'm assuming you have all read them because our book club always seems to be a little "behind the times" as far as the current popular book to read. We don't read a lot of new books. It's generally classics and oldies but goodies but once in a while we throw in something "new". Like when we read Fablehaven when book 4 was coming out. Same thing here with Hunger Games...

Read it and Loved it

I read the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It was FABULOUS! I loved reading the letters. I was happy with the ending and I fell in love with the characters. I especially like the author notes at the end that talked about the relationship they had to each other and how the book came to be.

The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

SUCH a great read. I devoured it when Kyle left for his stake priesthood meeting at 7pm Sunday and finished it at 1am. Not bad! :)  I have zero self control when it comes to a good book.

I love historical fiction books as well as memoirs. This is a great one set during the time when the Japanese were put into internment camps in America during the 40s.   This book is actually from the perspective of a Chinese American who watched this unravel before his eyes as a 13 year old boy.

It is a sweet story of love and loss.  Clean, educational, and will have you page turning!

Life Gets So Complicated When I Try To Read Too Many Books At Once

So.... I am currently reading:
1) The Help--started it yesterday. Was up with it until 2:30 last night before Travis gave me the look that meant GO TO SLEEP! I can't stop thinking about it today and can't wait until I can get back to it.
2) Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty MacDonald--darn cute book for the kiddies. Teaches about manners and chores and all those things that we parents struggle with. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle is a GENIUS I tell you!!!
3) Delivered From Distraction by Edward M. Halloweel, M.D. and John J. Ratey, M.D.--a book about dealing with ADD. AMAZING book!
4) The Book of Mormon--I know I should be constantly reading this one but I don't. I am however doing pretty good and I'm in Mosiah reading about Abinadi. Good stuff!
5) The Big Red Bike by E.J. Tims--bought this guy at Costco the other day. The author was there. Nice guy. Probably wouldn't have bought it without hearing his story. He says it's about learning the importance of hard work and persistence. Jaden HATES to work, any kind of work. So I thought maybe this would help. We'll read it together as soon as I get done reading Mrs. Piggle Wiggle to him.
6) Fablehaven Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull--Travis is actually reading this to the kids. I am just listening in because I have already read it. I am so EXCITED that the last book is finally out! The problem in that I am in the middle of all these other books! I really need to get them done so I can read this new one!!!

& 7) Baptists at Our Barbecue--I haven't technically started this one yet but it's what we're reading for book club this month. We wanted something easy. One gal read this and said it is hilarious. Much Much MUCH better that the movie apparently. I'm the next one in line for it to get passed to, so I really have to get on the ball and get these other books done.

The Glass Castle

Well all I can say is DITTO to AnnMarie's comments. I still don't know how I feel about that book. angry is a good word for it. Amazed is another good one. I hope to start The Help soon to get on with a better life! (TGC keeps coming back to haunt me!)

I loved The Help

I read it in 2 days. DH kept teasing me because I haven't been that wrapped up in a book in a really long time. Overall I really enjoyed it. I thought the ending was not a typical happily ever after and not at all what I was expecting -although my mother would disagree- she thinks it was too unrealistic and did have a happy ending. I would love your opinion.

I Finished The Glass Castle

I just barely finished The Glass Castle. I have a whole slew of emotions going through me... I'm still not sure if I liked it or not. Nor, I think, will I ever be sure. One of the reviews printed in the book sums up my feelings for it quite well.


"The Glass Castle will at times exhaust you, occasionally fill you with fury, and finally leave you in slack-jawed wonderment." --National Review Online

How on earth can a family go through all of that and come out on top of the world, so to speak. I am disgusted that a mother and father could put their children through all of that. I am in total amazement that 3 out of 4 children ended up in a much better place and were able to make a life for themselves and each other. I am furious........

Okay, I left this post in draft mode for a while and came back to it. I've pondered some more what it is exactly that has left me so upset by this book. I think it boils down to this: Jeannette's parents weren't exactly dummies. They were very well educated smart people. They both had a sickness... but they both had a responsibility to their children to give them the provisions and care they needed. Every time I read that her mother needed to care for herself for a while and take some "me time" I wanted to scream out at her. It seemed to me that that is exactly all she ever did. I do believe that homemakers do need me time every once in a while but only if the needs of her dependants are taken care of. Michelle, you were right, it does make me feel better as a parent but it's dug up some feelings that I am still not sure how to explain. This post was an attempt to figure that out. .......it helped, a little..... Thanks for reading.

Life As We Knew It Part II

I read this book in just a couple of days days and I don't often find books I can't put down. It has an apocalyptic theme, but don't let that scare you. It is more realistic than you would think.

On another note, I started The Help a couple days ago after being on the waiting list at my library for 2 months. I can hardly put that one down either.

Life As We Knew It

Ok, I'm only 1/4 of the way through this book by Susan Beth Pfeffer, but I hardly want to put it down and I am already planning on revamping my 72 hour kits and reorganizing our years supply... I won't go into any more detail that that for those of you that are interested in reading it. The woman in my BC that recommended it suggested we only start to read it when we have a lot of time on our hands (as if), and I can definitely see why.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Just finished. Read it in a single day. (don't ask how. I don't do much of anything anymore. Kyle will attest to that)
Bottom line? I LOVED it!

It is a novel compiled by a series of letters that will keep you page turning until your heart is satisfied at the very end. I laughed out loud, cried, and felt nearly every other emotion as if it were evoked by my own personal experience. I cannot give away any more of this book, but I highly recommend it!!!

Glass Castle

So we had our book club tonight... I tried to recommend The Help because I really want to read that one (that makes it sound like I can't read it if it's not a book club choice... not the case but harder to make the time for it). There were a few takers but then they settled on The Glass Castle (I hope that I remembered the name right). I can't remember the author, I didn't write it down. They said it is harsh. What is that supposed to mean. Have any of you read it or heard about it? I'm not that interested but will read it if I can get some more positive feed back on it. In the meantime, I'm going to try and find The Help.

The Help

Aunt Carol, was it you that was recommending this book? I had a friend just tell me about it. Who's the author? Maybe I'll recommend it for our book club. We meet tomorrow night.

Has anyone read The Shack?

I personally have not yet read this book, but came across this hilarious article I thought I'd share. I would love to hear what your opinion of The Shack is, if you've read it.

A few recommendations

Thanks to AnnMarie for coming through for us. I didn't realize that my love for books was shared by so many of my relatives!

You will notice a common theme among most of my recommendations - that the majority of them are juvenile fiction. I recently asked some members of my book club why this was and many of them felt it was because most current novels are smeared with vulgar language and explicit scenes, and that while not all juvenile fiction is "clean," the majority of it is a lot cleaner than its adult fiction counterparts. That being said, my recent reads that I would recommend are:

1. The Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (series of 3 books, the third has not yet been released)

2. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (nonfiction)

3. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (series of five books)

4. Among the Hidden byMargaret Haddix (series of seven books)

5. The Uglies, The Pretties, The Specials by Scott Westerfield (these are three separate books all in one series)

6. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor (won the 1977 Newberry Award)- Jon and I listened to this on our trip down to St. George.

7. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
Jon and I listened to this epic on our trip to CA. I have heard that the abridged version is much better b/c the book is very wordy, but we enjoyed listening to it.

I Added The New Addresses Sent To Me

I know I am still missing some addresses (Stefanie, Linsey, Jonathon, Trenton, maybe others. I've lost track now). Will those of you who have accepted the invite check out the list and add anyone that is missing from your families. Go to the Setting tab and then Permissions. Let's make this fun. It doesn't have to be strictly about books. Let's just share fun, interesting, news/announcements, ideas, thoughts... whatever.

I'll start... Several months ago our book club read the first Fablehaven book by Brandon Mull. I got sucked in and read all four that are out. It's fantasy with mythology creatures set in modern day United States. It's light and fun. We started reading it to the kids and are on the 3rd book. They are enjoying it. The 5th and last book is supposed to come out in March sometime. Two of the main characters are a brother and sister named Kendra and Seth. Kendra is the older more timid one. Seth is younger and invincible. We have nick-named our oldest kids Ashley and Jaden, Kendra and Seth. It's a fun read. Let me know what you think if you've read it or decided to try it out.

Email Addresses

Mom sent me a list of email addresses. So, hopefully in the next couple of days I can get everyone added here. To be allowed to post pictures and notes on the side bar you have to accept the invite to the blog and then it will allow me to grant you admin "power". Actually, I think anyone I've already granted it to can do it. Help yourself, mess around with it, let's make this a fun family thing.

WELCOME

We are starting a blog for our family to share all the great books that we are reading. And other things if you'd like. Many of us belong to book clubs in our own neighborhoods and thought it would be fun to share what we are reading and pass along the good ones. Maybe warn against the ones that aren't worth our time. So... Let's get this going!

I added family to the list who I have email addresses for. Please send me addresses to those who I may have missed. My address is at.thurgood at gmail dot com. I think I got, Uncle Brad, Lesley and Michelle in their family. I got Aunt Jill and Uncle Ken, Uncle Mark and Aunt Val, Grandma, my mom, Randy, Kerri and Dustin. I will set this up so that everyone can contribute (make a post) and also so that you can change the stuff on the side bar. You can add a picture of you/your family if you'd like to. Also, we can make it private after we have everyones info that wants to join us if anyone would prefer that, I'm good with whatever.